Customer Reviews

Kinky Boots [Non-US Format, PAL, Region 2, Import]

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Even if these boots aren't exactly made for walking, they do look stylish. Charlie Price (Joel Edgerton) must take over the family shoe business when his father dies. He discovers that the company is failing badly. He finds salvation of sorts when he meets drag queen and cabaret singer Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor from "Serenity" proving his versatility in this role). Lola complains about how the footwear she wears is so poorly designed. Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts) a former employee has a brainstorm--goes into men's fetish footwear. In other words, women's shoes that men (whether they be drag queens or not) can wear. Suddenly Charles has a niche market to work with and success comes unexpectedly comes knocking at his door. Unfortunately Charles must deal with his fiancé's (Jemima Rooper) disapproving attitude and the prejudice of his own employees before success can be fully his.

An amusing and poignant film that has just the right mix of drama in it, "Kinky Boots" was inspired by a true story. The performances are uniformly excellent throughout with a star making turn from actor Chiwetel Ejiofor as the transvestite Lola. He's not exactly a beautiful transvestite but quite convincing in the role.

With a transfer that has the sheen and texture of leather "Kinky Boots" looks quite good with minimal digital artifacts. Although some of the darker scenes don't have quite as much detail as they should the overall look of the film in this transfer is quite good with accurate color, skin tones and detail. The 5.1 mix sounds good but most of the action and dialogue (not surprisingly) occurs in the center speaker and two front ones.

We get an observant and fact filled commentary track from director Julian Jarrold, stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joel Edgerton and Sarah-Jane Potts. Their commentary track was done all at the same time so there's a nice dynamic between the actors and director that keeps the commentary moving along. Although it does occasionally focus on the obvious (nice performance here, etc.) there are nice tidbits of trivia about the production of the film.

"The Real Kinky Boots Factory" featurette focuses on the inspiration for the film in the UK. Producer Nick Barton discusses how they saw a documentary on a family business that was struggling against inexpensive imports and how they found their niche with the cross dressing market. Steve Pateman the current factory owner provides the background on the story and we see quite a bit of their actual product as well as hearing from the actors about how their research influenced the fictional story on screen.

"The Journey of a Brogue" provides a visual montage of the production of the shoes. It's brief but an interesting glimpse into the detail. A pity that it's not longer with comments from actual shoe producers as there is a great story behind the production of shoes and the struggle against inexpensive imports that some manufacturers have waged.

We also get four deleted scenes with commentary by director Jarrold. The deleted scenes are primarily character bits where for example Lola bonds with the women and men who work on the shoe production or Charlie reminisces with Lauren and discusses the changes to the factory production. Jarrold points out that while the scenes are quite good they effected the pacing of the film and were cut for that reason. "The Prettiest Star" features Lola remembering his childhood and obsession with women's footwear walking along the pier to Bowie's "The Prettiest Star".

An amusing character comedy "Kinky Boots" features stellar performances from a strong cast. It's a funny, affecting film with just the right mix of poignant drama and comedy that the British are so adept at doing.

"What can I do?" Charlie asks his employee, Lauren, when he's firing her. "The men's shoe market is gone."

"Go out and find another market," she tells him.

And he does.

At first that market doesn't sit too well with his Northhampton working class employees, but when they realize this is their last hope of keeping their jobs and the Price Shoe Factory alive, they dig in.

What are they making? Kinky Boots---don't think of them as shoes, but as tubes of sex...

And those sexy shoes are for men, women, and folks who haven't made up their minds yet. Their lead designer is a young drag queen "Lola" aka Simon, who is still learning who he is as well.

There are lessons about both life and business in this film. If I were teaching a management course, I'd be showing this along with the "Prince," because "Kinky Boots" teaches a lot about thinking outside of the box, engaging your workers, keeping their pride, and finally--doing what you have to do to keep the dream alive.

I'm glad I purchased this film and will strongly recommend it to friends.

Heartwarming and full of personal courage, this is also a fun and wacky movie, based on a true story. The fashion runway scene at the Milan shoe show is worth the price of admission alone.

How come British films seem to do more with less? Chiwetel Ejiofor is absolutely spot on in this upbeat, fun movie about trials and triumph. Of all his performances this one is my favorite. Ejiofor paints a realistic and empathetic picture of Drag Queens that will make you laugh and cry (well...maybe not cry). Get out the popcorn, sit back and enjoy because this one is a pleasure over and over again!

KINKY BOOTS has a lot of positive things going for it- a cast that is committed, a pace that is fluid, the presence of some fun song and dance sequences, and a lot of sight gags and moments of introspection and awakening. The problem is that, for all the sweet ideas the film explores, the story has been repeatedly done: small town folk facing job loss and identity crises turn things 'round to have a jolly ending (Calendar Girls, Billy Elliot, Waking Ned Devine, The Full Monty, etc). But this film works on many levels and is definitely worth an evening's entertainment.

Charley Price (Joel Edgerton) has been groomed since childhood to take over the Price Shoe Factory in Northampton yet when he finishes schooling he is off to London to lead his own life when suddenly his father dies and the shoe factory is doomed unless he returns. Finding the production of men's brogues in disarray (he is on the dangerous edge of bankruptcy) he begins letting the long-term employees go until one of the spunkier ones Lauren (Sarah-Jane Potts) reprimands him into thinking about finding new avenues for the factory's future. A tip to London and to a nightclub with Drag Queens sparks the idea of creating high heeled boots that can support a man's weight: the new market will be drag queens. One star drag queen is Lola/Simon (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is brought to the factory, startles the workers with her style, but comes up with a design for kinky boots that eventually the factory successfully makes and enters into the fashion line at Milan: the factory - and the people who work there - is saved and minds are broadened and changed.

The story is at its best when it involves the numerous drag numbers by Chiwetel Ejiofor who is clearly the star of this film. He is a compassionate person, plays his role with fire and spice and vulnerability and steels every scene he is in. The remainder of the cast (including the very reliable Linda Bassett - Oscar and Lucinda, The Hours, Calendar Girls, Separate Lies, etc - , Nick Frost, Stephen Marcus, and others) is superb. So for a storyline idea a bit stale (even though it is based on a true tale), the movie works: it is an ensemble creation. Grady Harp, September 06

This is a great story....and based on a real situation in England. It is a feel good movie that makes you laugh along the way. Great ending.

Charlie Price thought he escaped Northampton and the family business when he and his fiance moved to London. But when he father dies, he must take over the reigns at the Price & Company shoe factory, which has been in the family for three generations. But the place is hemorrhaging and soon he is forced to make people redundant. What he needs his plucky employee Lauren (who is about to be fired) tells him is to change the product. His eyebrow-less fiance Nicola would rather he sold the building and move on. But Charlie doesn't want the factory to fold under his watch.

When Charlie travels to London, he comes across a lady being mugged, only to find that he's no lady, but rather a drag queen named Lola, who has a bugger of a time finding stiletto's that fit a man's foot just right. Soon an odd friendship is formed, when Charlie realizes his niche market and proposes to create a line of kinky boots for men who dress as women. Lola travels to Northampton to oversee design of the shoes that the factory will produce for the upcoming Milan show. To keep from standing out, he dons the clothing from his alter ego, Simon.

Loosely based on a true story, "Kinky Boots" is a hysterical and sentimental story about a town banding together to achieve the company's destiny. Superb casting including the outstanding Chiwetel Elijofor as Lola/Simon (who does his own singing) makes this more than just another British import. The DVD extras are pretty basic, but include a look at the actual shoe factory the story was based on, as well as the construction of a shoe.

Chiwetel, the same actor whose talent shown in Dirty, Pretty Things, here puts on a wig and full drag in this feel-good British comedy.

The story revolves around a man, Charlie Price, who has been given reigns to his father's shoe factory, one that has been handed down for generations.

Due to the changing economy, shoe factories everywhere are shutting down. Charlie's relationship with his fiancee begins to go downhill as he is forced to lay workers off and await the inevitable. Until he meets an eccentric dragqueen who inspires Charlie to find a niche market designing boots for drag queens.

Apparently this movie is based on actual events and succeeds in entertining and not overdoing itself, though it has its sappy moments.

Funny, smart and a phenomanal performance by Ejiofor make this worth seeing.

I will freely admit to being a sucker for British films, but this really was a fun movie. The performances were all very solid and well done. There were enough special features to make me happy, though honestly, as far as I'm concerned there can't be too many special features, unless they're just photo galleries. If you're looking for something a bit different, but will still make you laugh, check out this film.

The British seem to have the market cornered on a particular type of "feel good" film. In these films, a down-on-his-luck protagonist or group must face the inevitability of their current lifestyle predicament and do something completely unorthodox in order to survive. There is a certain wackiness, however, with what they choose. It's by embracing this unknown and unpredictable new world that our heroes will find redemption, success, and learn to live again. From stripping steelworkers, to gardening prisoners, to calendar posing matrons, to marijuana growing widows, to a coal mining brass band--these films share a formula that rarely varies, but usually succeeds on charm if not originality. The other thing these films have in common is that they are "inspired" by true stories. (And let's make the distinction, they aren't "based" on real life. The films are not factual, they take an idea from the real world and transform it into a very fictional format!) "Kinky Boots" is one of the latest incarnations to join this particular sub-genre of British comedy.

Inspired by a real event, "Kinky Boots" tells the story of Charlie Price. Having grown up in the luxury men's shoe business, he is drawn back into the factory when his father passes away. Never particularly passionate about working for the family company, he is now in charge of everything. But everything isn't much! He discovers that the business is failing, the accounts have dried up, and that his father has kept the crew going fulfilling orders that don't exist. After all but giving up, he is inspired by a lovely young worker (of course!) that apathy isn't an answer--he must find a new niche market. A random encounter with a drag queen, thus, sets a new course in motion. Outrageous Lola, the cabaret performer in question, storms the factory--and all must deal with prejudice, change, and teamwork. Can they pull together and assemble a new line of sexy female shoes for men? You'll just have to check it out to see.

Playing Lola, Chiwetel Ejiofor has received many accolades for his "against-type" performance. Again proving a dynamic versatility, Ejiofor is fast becoming one of our more interesting and unexpected actors. He invests Lola with a strength of character, a dignity, and a sassiness you would expect--but more fascinating is the layer of doubt underneath. No less important, and less often talked about, is Joel Edgerton as Charlie. As the film's lead, we are really following his journey here--and Edgerton is a compelling and likable protagonist. If we aren't rooting for Charlie (despite Ejiofor's more colorful character) then "Kinky Boots" would fail. But, luckily, I did root for him.

Of course, there was never much doubt in my mind what would transpire. "Kinky Boots" moves forward with such predictability, you've seen it all before. However, even lacking a certain originality, there is an undeniable charm that the performers bring to the piece which make it worth a look. In fact, I'm confident that this tale will win over all but the most cynical of viewers--such is the nature of "feel good" cinema. About 3 1/2 stars, I'm rounding up because I liked the film despite myself. KGHarris, 03/07.